Pratchett, Terry - The Annotated Pratchett by Pratchett Terry

Author:Pratchett, Terry
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf

+ [p. 43] "'That looks like an accident waiting to happen if I ever saw one,' she mumbled.

In the _Phantom_, one of the most spectacular and well-publicised special effects is the crashing of the chandelier onto the stage, at the end of act 1. This occurs when Christine and Raoul secretly pledge their love for each other, which the Phantom overhears.

+ [p. 47] "'It's white bone! He has no nose!' [...] 'Then how does he --'

Agnes began."

From the old joke, made famous by Monty Python's "The funniest joke in the world" sketch:

-- My dog has no nose.

-- How does he smell?

-- Terrible.

And yes, I know this joke isn't the one that the sketch is named after.

The funniest joke in the world (which, in the German translation, eventually enabled the British to win World War II) goes: "Wenn ist das Nunstuck git und Slotermeyer? Ja! Beiherhund das Oder die Flipperwaldt gersput!"

+ [p. 56] "'_Schneide meinen eigenen Hals_ --'"

German for: "Cut My Own Throat".

+ [p. 92] "'At least stand on tiptoe!' he shouted. 'You probably cost me a dollar just running up here!'"

It is precisely standing on tiptoe that wears out ballet shoes so quickly.

+ [p. 93] "'[...] flush him out, chase him through the city, catch him and beat him to a pulp, and then throw what's left into the river. It's the only way to be sure.'"

Resonates with a famous scene in _Aliens_, where Ripley says: "I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."

+ [p. 97] "[...] tonight's production of _La Triviata_.

Verdi's _La Traviata_.

+ [p. 97] "'What in fact we would like you to do... Perdita... is *sing*

the role, indeed, but not, in fact... *play* the role.'"

This will sound familiar to anyone who has ever seen _Singing in the Rain_, or knows any of the many other stories where this plot device is used. Terry says:

"The idea of an understudy doing all the work for the star is probably a common film cliche. I don't recall it in any film about music, but now I come to think of it there was a Fred Astaire film where he *dances*

instead of the star of the show (wearing a mask... I didn't say it was a good movie). But the basis of the Agnes/Christine thing lies not in any movie but in real life. It has happened. My sources tell me that stars have gone on stage jetlagged or stricken with a sore throat and someone has been put behind them in the chorus to sing the role. I believe there has even been at least one case where the prompter (in the box in front of the stage) has tried to jump-start the dumbstruck star with the first few words of the song and ended up singing it all the way through. It's not a big step to go from that to the setup in _Maskerade_."

+ [p. 98] "[...] a revival of _The Ring of the Nibelungingung_"

Wagner's opera is called 'The Ring of the Nibelung', or in German: 'Der Ring des Nibelungen'.

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